Electrically insulated molecular wires

This paper is an up-to-date mini-review based on literature data and own results regarding synthesis and properties of conducting (pseudo)rotaxane supramolecular structures. Conjugated polymers, such as polyarylene, polyheteroarylene, polyaniline, polyarylenevinylene or polyaryleneimine, were used as axle, while the macrocyclic components were cyclodextrins, cucurbiturils, cyclophanes or crown ethers. Properties of the supramolecular structure such as solubility, thermal or chemical stability, conductivity, etc. can be drastically modified by the inclusion of hydrophobic conjugated polymers inside the macrocycle, without any chemical modification. For instance, the photophysical properties (i.e. quantum yield of fluorescence and electroluminescence) of the supramolecular structures were enhanced when compared with uninsulated conjugated polymers. The doping process is also affected, because the access of a dopant to the conjugated chain is limited only to the uncovered domains of the conjugated chain.